Dropbox: 7 Apps To Add On

Dropbox backs up your important files, but that's just a start. These apps work alongside the cloud service to boost security, streamline workflow, and more.

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Dropbox can do much more than just back up files. The cloud-based storage service has more than 200 million personal users and 4 million business accounts, and it functions as a multi-faceted office (or personal) assistant. However, no technology is an island; applications that work in concert with Dropbox open up interesting new options.

Commercial cloud providers such as Dropbox provide convenient file storage, but one solution does not fit all types of data. Use of the cloud is not a good long-term storage solution for certain research data or confidential information.

"One thing many cloud users don't realize when using Dropbox is the fact that the encryption keys are stored on the server side rather than the client side, leaving a user's data vulnerable to data breaches," Rick Harvey, CTO at Lockbox an encryption expert, told us. "If you don't hold the keys on your server, the data isn't yours anymore."

A recent Forrester research paper (subscription required) noted, "Every day, enterprises send critical data to SaaS providers without any plan for how they will back up the data and restore it. Only when they experience data loss do they ask the question, 'Who is responsible for backing up my data?' It's time for [infrastructure and operations] leaders to stop leaving the door open to data loss and start proactively protecting cloud data -- before it's too late."

Another issue with storage solutions such as Dropbox is the "drop it and forgot it" syndrome. Users still need to manage all their files and remember to save updated versions consistently to the cloud. If someone makes changes to the original file but does not remember to upload it, no one will have access to the latest version. As Backblaze founder and CEO Gleb Budman told me, human nature being what it is, if you lose your computer, it is doubtful that all up-to-date, user-generated files will be saved to Dropbox.

Applications can work with Dropbox to help automate, organize, and streamline business processes. With more than 100,000 apps connected to Dropbox, you will find a wide variety: Bloggers can automate the process of archiving their posts, security-sensitive users can encrypt files, and people overwhelmed by email attachments can easily file them for later viewing.

Dropbox offers users 2 GB of space for free. Users can earn more free space in different ways, including referrals, taking a tour, or sending the company feedback. Upgrading to Pro for $9.99/month provides 100 GB of space. A plan for businesses is available, as well, at $15/month per user.

Check out the following seven apps that even the smartest Dropbox user can use to enhance productivity.

Writing and editing from the IT metropolis that is Fairfield County, Conn., Jen is Editor In Chief of Solution Providers For Retail. In her role, she oversees all editorial operations of the site, including engaging VARs to share their expertise within the community. She has ... View Full Bio

People cannot ignore the trend of cloud storage. Just like smartphone, people will normally feel uncomfortable and unsafe to use such kind of new technology. The smartphone is much more complicated and prone to security attacks then old-days function-only mobile phone such as Nokia 6500. But nobody will go back to those antediluvian stuff. The same thing holds true for cloud storage - DropBox is taking the right approach to address people's concerns.

I think that these apps for backing up and locking your information are the most important here. Those are the reasons many still feel uncomfortable with storing things in the cloud.

But the reality is that the cloud is an inevitable storage place. There will always be that small subset of organizations who cannot do so because of security. But for the most part it seems that consumers and enterprises are becoming more comfortable with this idea.

Dropbox is a decent tool to have on your desktop. It gives the ability to store your data and can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have internet. At the same time it can shared among people too.

Yousendit is no more. It is now called Hightail. They are offering less for more money and we stopped using the service. It is more business-oriented. We just needed a way to send large documents infrequently. If it becomes something people need more than once a month, it makes sense to contract with a vendor focused on business needs.

Provided that you don't mind Dropbox randomly snooping on the contents of your file(s) and will otherwise turn it over to law enforcement without a warrant, it's convenient to have. For those whose privacy standards dont' include warrantless snooping/surveillance, there is YouSendIt.

There's no doubt Google has made headway into businesses: Just 28 percent discourage or ban use of its productivity ­products, and 69 percent cite Google Apps' good or excellent ­mobility. But progress could still stall: 59 percent of nonusers ­distrust the security of Google's cloud. Its data privacy is an open question, and 37 percent worry about integration.